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 February 25, 2022
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 Montaña de Oro State Park
Gorgeous coastline at the park.
Photo from Paige Haller, Sierra District
Are You Water Wise? Test Yourself
Story from: Communications and Marketing Division
 We are dry again this month in California and are headed into warmer weather. Let’s start now to conserve water, beginning with your outdoor plants for your yard this spring. For more information and tips, visit the Save Our Water website.
Are you water wise? Test your knowledge with the new Save Our Water Quiz. Share your results with family and friends and ask them to take the quiz to see if they can beat your score!
Enter the 'Park Pride' Photo Contest by Monday, March 7
Story from: Jorge Moreno, Communications and Marketing Division
 Is your park the best for its amazing views? Here's a view captured during a hike at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. Photo from California State Parks.
Want to win bragging rights to why your state park is the best? Then submit your best park photos for the “Park Pride” photo contest by Monday, March 7.
The state’s 279 parks are spectacular for various reasons but what makes your park the best? Is it for the best views from a hike? The best camping spots? The best ranger, volunteer or interpreter? Whatever the reason, we want to learn more. Be creative with your photos and share your park pride. If you don’t work at a park, it doesn’t mean you can’t participate. Send us photos of a state park you recently visited and why it’s the best.
Remember, if a photo has a recognizable face and the subject is not a State Parks employee or park volunteer, you must submit a completed Visual Media Consent form (DPR 993).
To be eligible to participate, you must be a State Parks employee or park volunteer and submit your photos to the Weekly Digest. Provide a brief description of your “Park Pride” photo and the name of the state park where the photo was taken. The Communications and Marketing team will announce the top-five photos in March. The photos will be showcased in the Weekly Digest as well as State Parks’ social media channels with their photo credit.
The rules and criteria to submit photos are:
- Submit photos to the Weekly Digest email address with the subject line “Park Pride.”
- Photos must be taken between Dec. 21, 2021–March 7, 2022.
- Photos with images of non-park staff must include a photo Visual Media Consent form (DPR 993).
- Photos must be taken at one of California’s 279 state parks.
- Only park employees and volunteers can submit photos.
- Photos will be judged on photo quality, uniqueness, moment captured and content.
- The top-five photos chosen will be shared on California State Parks’ social media channels and in the Weekly Digest.
- Photos will be judged by the Communications and Marketing team (who is not eligible to participate in the contest).
- Photo images should be a minimum of 1920×2400 ppi.
If you have any questions on the contest, please send an email to the Weekly Digest.
 Let’s Spring Into Action to Recover, Rebuild, Revive California
Story from: Elisa Partin, Administrative Services
 Join state workers across California who are giving back to nonprofits all monthlong through the Our Promise campaign. From March 1-31, state employees can make a one-time gift to any 501c3 nonprofit of their choice.
The pandemic has threatened to stop nonprofit organizations from providing vital resources for people experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, domestic violence and more. Don’t let our challenges prevent us from rebuilding a better California.
Visit Cal Employee Connect to make your gift today. Together, we can make a difference. Your gift through Our Promise can help thousands of nonprofits as they recover from challenging times.
Visit the Our Promise website to learn more. If you have any questions, please contact me at Elisa.Partin@parks.ca.gov.
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Honoring Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella
Story from: Kevin Pearsall, Orange Coast District
 State Parks Lifeguards Matt Fockler (left) and Travis Bjorndal place a memorial wreath in front of the Huntington Beach Police Department next to the other symbols of continuity dedicated to Officer Nicholas Vella.
After responding to assist allied agency Newport Beach Police on Saturday, February 19, Huntington Beach Police Department helicopter unit HB1 crashed just offshore within Newport Bay. One officer was injured and the other, Officer Nicholas Vella, succumbed to his injuries.
Two of the most visited day-use state parks are located within the city limits of Huntington Beach, and thus our relationship with the local police department is crucial to the overall success in public safety for the area. The HB1 helicopter unit has assisted us consistently for years with water rescues, lost children and law enforcement aerial needs.
This loss has affected the entire area, including our State Parks team. It injects the overwhelming dedication and pride into us all, which during challenging times, can be forgotten.
We are thankful for the many calls of assistance by Officer Vella and for his incredible professionalism always presented to us as his State Parks brothers and sisters. Our deepest condolences to his family and to those who have stood by his side at Huntington Beach Police Department.
Parkwide Trails Survey for Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area Complete
Story from: Alex Napier, Ocotillo Wells District
 Assistant State Archaeologist Alex Napier (left) and Archaeological Project Lead Sabrena Stembridge recording a site found during a trail survey in 2018. Photo from Jeremy Freeman, Ocotillo Wells District.
Starting in 2017, Cultural Resources staff at Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area have been diligently surveying along mapped trails in the park. The focus of the project was to streamline special event review and internal maintenance efforts, although knowing where cultural items are is incredibly helpful toward our goal of preserving and protecting resources.
Working with the GIS unit, we created a buffered survey area around each trail, and then cultural staff surveyed within the corridor on either side of the trail. Ocotillo Wells District has consistently contracted with the Southern Service Center (SSC) to help us with this mission, and both SSC and the district have knocked it out of the park.
In five years, we had over 30 people working to accomplish:
- 217 miles of trail surveyed, which is close to 12,000 acres.
- Over 400 sites recorded.
- Over 600 isolates recorded.
Everything recorded was submitted to the South Coastal Information Center and are now on file with the Office of Historic Preservation. It is also stored within our cultural resources GIS database. Visually understanding the spatial relationship between artifacts, sites and park infrastructure allows staff to make decisions quickly to protect cultural resources effectively.
A huge shout-out to everyone who helped finalize this monumental task.
 Top left: Archaeological Project Lead Sabrena Stembridge (left) and Archaeological Project Lead John Getty recording a site found during a trail survey in 2020. Photo from Diogo Oliveira, Ocotillo Wells District. Right: Southern Service Center staff during a trail survey in 2017. Photo from Alex Napier, Ocotillo Wells District. Bottom left: Southern Service Center staff during a trail survey in 2018. Photo from Alex Napier, Ocotillo Wells District.
 Top: Southern Service Center staff lining up to transect in 2019. Photo from Alex Napier, Ocotillo Wells District. Bottom (left to right): Archaeological Specialist Diogo Oliveira, Archaeological Project Lead John Getty and Assistant State Archaeologist Alex Napier recording a site found during a trail survey in 2020. Photo from Sabrena Stembridge, Ocotillo Wells District.
  Email photos to the WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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To view current job openings within California State Parks, please visit our jobs webpage at www.LiveTheParksLife.com.
State Parks Job and Exam Spotlights
 JOB SPOTLIGHTS
Office Assistant (Typing) – Apply today! Today is the last day to apply for this opportunity. Work as an Office Assistant (Typing) at the Hearst Castle Visitor Center. This position will help provide customer service, refunds, process tickets and bus boarding for the tour program at Hearst Castle. Take the online assessment and apply today! Click here for more information.
Accounting Administrator I (Specialist) – Apply by March 4, 2022: We have an exciting opportunity as an Accounting Administrator I (Specialist). This position will lead the reconciliation and reporting of general and federal funds and will lead the General Ledger Unit. Take the online assessment and apply today! Click here for more information.
Associate Management Auditor – Apply by March 11, 2022: We are now hiring an Associate Management Auditor at our Headquarters. The duties include accounting and auditing, research and information gathering. Take the online assessment and apply today! Click here for more information.
Seasonal Aides – Now hiring! We are now hiring part-time/seasonal openings throughout California State Parks. With no assessment needed, apply for our Park Aide, Park Interpretive Specialist, Maintenance Aide, Environmental Services Intern or Forestry Aide openings today. Click here for more information.
EXAM SPOTLIGHTS
Park Maintenance Worker I – Self-schedule started Feb. 24, 2022: Take a next step toward a meaningful career as a Park Maintenance Worker I. Perform skilled and semiskilled structural and facility maintenance and repair work in a State Parks district. You may also lead and train a crew of maintenance employees. Apply to take the assessment today! Click here for more information.
State Park Equipment Operator – Apply by March 1, 2022: California State Parks has released the State Park Equipment Operator assessment. From developing new recreation areas to restoring our parks, our State Park Equipment Operators are essential to ensuring our visitors are safe, preserving our precious resources and keeping our state parks operational for all to enjoy year-round. Click here for more information.
Park and Recreation Specialist exam series now available anytime! The Park and Recreation Specialist exam series is now online and continuous. Take the assessment anytime. From grant administration to outdoor education, the right exam is available to match your education and experience level. Click here for more information.
If you have any questions regarding these opportunities, connect with us at Recruiting@parks.ca.gov. We’re happy to help!
Interested in more jobs and exams like this? Explore www.LiveTheParksLife.com to discover the possibilities.
Join the Parks Jobs mailing list here. We can send you updates on jobs and exams that interest you.
New Leadership in State Parks' Tribal Affairs Program
Story from: Leslie L. Hartzell, Cultural Resources Division
 From left to right, Department Tribal Liaison Leslie L. Hartzell, Tribal Affairs Program Manager Sabine Taluagon (Samala Chumash), Assistant Secretary of Tribal Affairs Geneva E.B. Thomspon, Executive Director California State Parks Foundation Rachel Norton, Director Armando Quintero and San Diego Coast District Superintendent Gina Moran attend the grand opening in October 2021 of the Iipay ~ Tipai Kumeyaay Mut Niihepok (Land of the First People) outdoor exhibit in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
A new program manager is leading a remarkable expansion of the Tribal Affairs Program. Sabine Talaugon (Samala Chumash) was recently promoted to tribal affairs program manager. Sabine joined State Parks in 2020 as the tribal affairs program analyst. Not long after, our Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Program Lead Patrick Riordan was reassigned to COVID-19 contact tracing. This left Sabine and her predecessor to this position, Brittani Orona, to tackle a legislative deadline in Assembly Bill 275 (2020). The update to the 2001 CalNAGPRA legislation called for consultation and information sharing between museums and more than 200 Tribal Nations to expedite repatriation. State Parks has roughly three-quarters of a million objects subject to inventory and tribal consultations under both the federal NAGPRA of 1990 and CalNAGPRA.
Then in June 2021, Brittani departed to complete her dissertation and join the faculty at California State University, San Diego. Thankfully, not long after, Patrick returned from serving with distinction for more than a year as a contact tracer. All the while, Sabine supported NAGPRA/CalNAGPRA responsibilities and continued working on agreements between Tribal Nations and State Parks.
State Parks' CalNAGPRA Program support proposal was approved in July 2021. The first of several new hires is CalNAGPRA Program Analyst Maia Posten, who joined us last month from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The team continues to hold initial consultations weekly with California Tribal Nations. They are on track to submit the required preliminary inventory and summary data to the Native American Heritage Commission by the April 1 deadline, the first step in a lengthy process ahead.
Sabine will lead efforts to hire the additional, newly funded positions and refill her prior program analyst's position.
Congratulations, Sabine, and, welcome, Maia!
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Style time! Here are this week's tips to help spread the word about our departmentwide style guidelines:
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Indigenous: Uppercase when referring to the original inhabitants of a place.
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years: When a phrase refers to a month and day within the current year, do not include the year. Example: The event is scheduled for March 28. If the reference is to a past or future year, include the year and set it off with commas. Example: The event on Feb. 14, 2019, was a huge success. The deadline of Feb. 14, 2023, was decided by all.
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offshore: One word, no hyphen.
Keeping a consistent writing style ensures the Weekly Digest looks and sounds its best. Each week, the Communications and Marketing Division reviews submitted articles for proper grammar and punctuation and style consistency––from capitalization and hyphenation to proper acronyms and active/passive voice usage. In general, we follow the Associated Press style and Merriam-Webster, but at times we use our own department-specific style.
We always welcome your feedback on how to “Live the Parks Life” in (writing) style. Connect with us via email at weeklydigest@parks.ca.gov.
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 Butte College
Director Amando Quintero traveled to Butte College to join Cadet Training Officer Jamie Stamps (Training Section) and Sergeant Scott Sipes (Santa Cruz District) with the instruction of “Cultural Diversity and Discrimination” to the Basic Visitor Services Training (BVST) 47 cadets. This block of instruction is mandatory for all peace officers in the state, but it was especially poignant for our officers to hear Director Quintero’s lived experiences, from the field all the way to the director of a statewide resource protection agency.
Photo from Lindsey Phillips, Training Section
 Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Volunteer Coordination, Group 33, class learned about the park’s volunteer program and saw their volunteers in action. Pictured are Partnerships Division staff with park volunteer coordinators at the training in October 2021 at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.
The Volunteers in Parks Program is currently offering a virtual training opportunity for volunteer coordinators the week of March 21. Registration for Volunteer Coordination, Group 34, is now available in FOCUS. Register soon and save your spot!
 Malibu Lagoon State Beach
Raptors strut their stuff—one hawk even hanging upside down in the tree at the Adamson House.
Photos from Ann Hagerman, Angeles District
 Tolowa Dunes State Park
A quiet and clear morning along the Smith River.
Photo from Ian Jones, North Coast Redwoods District
Email photos to the WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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The Weekly Digest includes a collection of news articles related to the
California Department of Parks and Recreation. The views expressed and opinions do not always reflect that of the department.
To view this week's News Clips, please click here.
 Weekly Digest Article and Photo Submissions
If you have an article or photo you would like to submit for the Weekly Digest, please send your entries via email to WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
For an article submission, please include:
- Author’s name and division/district.
- All relevant information (e.g., headline, park name, dates, name of event, individuals’ full names and titles, etc.).
Articles should be no longer than 300 words.
For photos, please include:
- Photo credit info and captions.
- Photo release forms should be kept on file for non-employees or volunteers.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos included in the Weekly Digest are courtesy of the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
The deadline for Weekly Digest submissions is close of business Thursday. For more information, email WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
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